Petebs



- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

(No Model.)

J. SAX.

SIGNALING DEVICE.

No. 391,276. Patented Oct. 16, 1888.

MOM.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)-

J. SAX.

SIGNALING DEVICE.

Patented 001;. 16, 1888.

NY Pzrsns. Phola-Lilhagnphar. Wuhingmm 08c UNITED STATES PATENT F IcE.

JULIUS SAX, OF BEDFORD SQUARE, COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND.

SiGNALING DEVlCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,276, dated October 16, 1888.

Application filed July 30, 1988. Serial No. 281,379.

(No model.) Patented in England June 12, 1888, No. 8,644.

To {LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUs SAX, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 7 Ridgmount Street, Bedford Square, in the county of Middlesex, England, electrical engineer, have invented a certain improved apparatus or appliance especially adapted for communicating between drivers and passengers in vehicles, but applicable also to other analogous purposes, (for which I have applied for a patent in Great Britain, No. 8,644, dated June 12, 1888,) of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a slmple and efficient appliance for communicating between the driver and passenger in a cab or other vehicle, or for other purposes of communication, which apparatus is free from dependence upon mechanical locking or re leasing, and is therefore especially adapted for situations wherein there is motion or vibration.

The apparatus or appliance constructed according to my invention is operated entirely by electricity, and the moving parts are by magnetic attraction maintained in the positions to which they are brought. I employ for this purpose a permanent magnet, with its two poles in proximity to the pole of an electro-magnet. I mount or center upon the pole of the electro-magnet a truly-balanced disk or moving part, with a soft-iron armature attached to it and in magnetic contact with the core of the electro-magnet. This soft-iron armature, when brought into the neighborhood of either of the poles of the permanent magnet, is attracted and held in position thereby. The disk or moving part is marked with the necessary indication, and aportion of it is exposed at an aperture through the casing, so that when the disk is in one position there is no indication; but when it is brought into the other position the word or information which it is wished to convey is exposed. The disk or moving part is operated by passing a current round the coils of the electro-magnet in one direction for indicating and in the other direction for removing the indication. Suppose the armar ture or disk is in the position with its armature retained by the magnetic attraction of one of the poles of the permanent magnet, and

that a blank'part of the disk or moving piece is exposed at the aperture. Vhen the indication is required to be given, the electromagnet is magnetized by a current passed in such a direction that the armature of the disk or moving piece is repelled from the pole of the permanent magnet by which it was held, so that the armature moves round until it comes within the influence of the opposite pole of the permanent magnet, when it is held thereby, and in this position the requisite word or indication is exposed at the aperture. To release the indication and return the disk or movable piece to its non-indicating position, the electro-magnet is magnetized by a current of the reverse direction to that previously sent through, and by'this the armature is repelled from the pole by which it was held to expose the indication, and the disk or movable piece rotates or moves until the an mature comes within the influence of the other pole of the permanent magnet, by which it is again held in its non indicating position. There may be one or any number of these devices combined in one instrument, in accordance with the number of indications to be given, and in that case there may be one rcleasing-circuit common to them all. There may be combined in the circuits a bell or other signaling device to draw attention to the indication.

In order that my said invention may be fully understood, I shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a face view of a casing containing an apparatus arranged according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same, and Fig. 3 is a plan with the top of the casing removed. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, and Fig. 5 a vertical section, of one of the disk-operating devices, the others being similarly arranged or constructed. Fig. 6 is a plan ofthe same with the disk in position, and Fig. 7 is a plan with the disk removed. Fig. 8 is a plan of under side of the disk. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the wires, battery, and bell in connection with the apparatus for operating it.

A is the casing, having in its under side a hole, a, for the passage of the conducting-wires,

and a glass top, B, covering the upper plate, a, of the casing, in which apertures a are made, at which are exposed the markings on the disks. The glass B is secured by a screwring, 0, with rubber packings at a to prevent the entrance of wet.

In the casing A are fixed the disk-operating devices, each of which is constructed or arranged as follows: d is the core of an electro magnet, D, secured to the bottom of the eas- 111g.-

E is a'permanent magnet with'its poles c e projecting above the non-magnetic plate f, which also encircles the core (I of the electromagnet and serves as a means of retaining the magnets in position. The projecting poles c e are formed by screws passing through the plate f and screwed into the ends of the magnet E, and serving also to secure the stops e e. The top of the core (Z of the electro-magnet D is recessed to receive a pivot, d", upon which rests the cup g in the center of the disk G.

g is a soft-iron armature fixed, to the disk G, it surrounding the cup 9 and extending radially to one side. It is provided with a stop, 9, and is balanced by a non-magnetic strip, g, extending in line with the armature The disk G is thus balanced. The said disk is marked with the required word or indication in such a position that when the stop 9 is against the stop 6 the word or indication is not exposed at the aperture a; but when the stop 9 bears against the stop e the said word or indication is exposed at the said aperture. The inward part of the strip 9, surrounding the cup 9, is over the end of the core d and in such close proximity to it that when the core is magnetized the said strip 9 is magnetized with the same polarity as that of the said end of the core d.

The electro-magnet D is wound with two coils, d and d, all the coils d of the disk-actuating devices being in multiple are from the cireuitj to and from a battery, H, there being a bell, I, in the circuit. The circuits through one or the other of the coils d can be completed by a switch or push-button, d The coils d are connected in series with a circuit, is, to and from the battery H, which circuit can be completed by a switch or push-button at k. The coils d and d are so arranged that they respectively have a current in reverse directions sent through them when their circuits are completedthat is to say, the coils d have a current in one direction and the coils d have a current in the opposite direction. Thus the poles of the cores d of the electromagnet D are magnetized, so that they have a polarity of one denomination when a current is sent through the circuit j and of the opposite denomination when a current is sent through the circuit is.

The armatures g of the disks G, when no .current is sent through the eleetro-magnet D,

net,) the required indication is given by com-' pleting by means of the button at the circuit of that one of the coils 01 which encircles the core d under the disk, having marked on it the word which is required to be exhibited, so that a current from the battery H is sent through the said coil d" in such a direction that the upper end of the core dis magnetized with a polarity the sameas that of the pole e of the permanent magnet E, and the armature g is similarly magnetized, and consequently it is repelledfrom the pole e and attracted by the pole e, and the disk partially rotates until the stop g comes against the stop 6 and is,after the button (1 is released, retained in this position by the attraction ofthe said pole e of the permanent magnet E. In this position of the disk .the required word or indication is exposed at verse of that previously sent through the coils d, and so the armature 9 through the core (I, is magnetized with a polarity of the same denomination as that of the pole e of the electromagnet E, and the said armature is repelled from the polee and attracted to the pole e, the

stop 9 coming to rest against the stop 6 and -when the button it is released the attraction by the pole e of the armature retains the disk in the position to which it has been brought, and in this position the word or indication is not seen at the aperture 01?. All the coils d being in one circuit, the operation of the button It releases and returns to their non-indicating positions all the disks which may be in an indicating position. The coils d not being in series, that one only of the disks which it is .desired to operate is moved when the button d completes the circuit through the coil of the electro magnet under that particular disk. The bell I sounds when an indication is given, as it is included in the circuit j.

It is to be understood that there may be one or any number of disks with actuating devices, as described, and that they may be marked in any desired way to make any required indication or convey any desired order or information, such as may be necessary on vehicles or vessels, or in other places where the apparatus is used. I have shown a circular casing; but it will'be evident that the casing may be of other convenient shape, and that the other details may be varied without departing from the nature of my invention.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that What I claim is 1. In an apparatus or appliance for communicating orders or information from one place to another, the combination of a disk ormovable piece provided with an armature, as described, a permanent magnet by which said disk is retained in one or the other of the two positions to which it may be brought, and an electro-magnet by which, when excited or energized,the disk can be moved from said position,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the electro niagnet, the permanent magnet, and the balanced disk mounted upon the core of the electro-magnet and provided with an armature normally attracted by one or the other of the poles of the permanent magnet, and repelled from the one pole and attracted to the other pole of said permanent magnet by the alternation of polarity of the core of the electro-magnet, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

The combination of a plurality of disks, each provided with an armature and an electro magnet and a permanent magnet for each disk arranged with relation to said disk and its armature, in the manner hereinbefore indicated, a battery and circuit connection, whereby each disk can be operated separately to bring it to indicating position, while all of the disks can be operated simultaneously to return from indicating position back to non-indicating position, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JULIUS SAX.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. MILLs, WILLIAM F. UPTON, 190th of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields, London. 

